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The Diomedian Chronicles: Short Stories
< The Diomedian Chronicles Gwen's Dream. in the medbay a row of screens show life readouts and data, shifting and collating while blinking the results. The shadow of a figure in a labcoat passes the screens. The doctor stops at the foot of Gwen's gurney. The sight of her makes his eyes water. A little girl, badly bruised and broken. Casts around her hip and chest. Her mouth is slightly open, revealing broken teeth and a stitched tongue. Her eyes closed. Sleeping. Dreaming. her dream, Gwen sees a bird eye view of a wheat field. The wind blowing soft golden waves. A woman is wandering through the field with beside her a little girl, maybe 8 years old, wearing a dingy sundress. The woman has blond tousled hair while the little girl's is tousled brown. The little girl stops and turns around, the wheat rubbing across the chest of her sundress. She looks onward, but sees only the wheat for as far as she can. looks back only to see the woman standing further then she had expected. Her expression becomes perplexed as she slaps a bug on the back of her neck. Pulls it off and looks at it, wriggling fleshily in her hand. Her expression becomes even more distraught, but cannot muster forth a shout. sound of instects fill the air. Another bug lands on her, then another and another. She looks down in growing horror as she sees blood at her feet, rising, filling the field, rising above the wheat. The sea of dark, thick blood is still shallow enough for her to stand on the ground below. girl tries to scream again, raising her arms. The part of her above the blood is covered with insects, a skittering black shroud of them. When she finally opens her mouth to scream, the bugs flood in, preventing her from doing so and her dream fades to black. When her dream continues, she sees a birds eye view of a wheat field. The wind blowing solf golden waves... She's Tachycardic HQ med bay, a doctor and a nurse are prepping Gwen for surgery. Doctor Wilson opens one of Gwen's eyes and shines in it with a surgical flashlight. Doctor Wilson: "Eyes are still dilating." nurse sees that Gwen's heartbeat is growing shallow. Nurse Morrison: "She's reacting to the meds..." Doctor Wilson: "What? Check the dosage... This shouldn't be happening... She shouldn't be reacting." Nurse Morrison: "If that doesn't work..." Illusive Man is overseeing the prep on an overlook. He pushes a button in order to speak over the intercom. Illusive Man: "What's going on, doctor?" Doctor Wilson: "One moment... Hold the lidocaine and check her pressure." flat lines. Doctor Wilson: "Shit! That's why she's reacting. Grab a crash card!" shock Gwen back to life. Nurse Morrison: "She's in V-fib!" Doctor Wilson: "Charge to 300!" Illusive man: "Wilson!" Doctor Wilson: "She's alive, but we're moving to fast. We need to--" Illusive Man: "Just keep her alive." flat lines again, Wilson shocks her back to live. Nurse Morrison: "That did it." Doctor Wilson: "Stand by with that morphine... 4 megs." Illusive Man: "Where are we at, doctor?" Doctor wilson: "She's tachycardic... We need to stabilize before progressing." Illusive Man: "There's no time, they finished her body. It's on its way now." flat lines again and this time the nurse had to shock her back to life, but barely. Wilson is arguing with the Illusive Man. Doctor Wilson: "She's unstable. Her organ necrosis has gotten to severe, we waited to long. Progressing now would be a mistake. You're putting a little girl in danger for the sake of the project." Illusive Man: "She's already in danger, doctor Wilson, we have no choice. Continue..." Waking with Cerberus. HQ, the beeping noise of the monitors wake Gwen up. Staring wide-eyed straight ahead in a state of near catatonia. Her hair tangled and wild. The only light on her comes from a TL lamp on the ceiling directly above her. a long while she lays still before she lift her hands, looking at them. She brings them to her face, touching her skin. She fingers her bed sheet, pulls down the neck, revealing two bumbs on her chest. She fingers them thoughtfully. -- "How long have I been out?" feels a strange sensation in her hand, looking at it she turns it to see the backside. The resulting swirl in her hand prompts a radio near her to activate. It plays the kind of dubstep normally heard in Omega. understanding what is happening, she tugs on her own hair, looks at it and doesn't seem to remember it's color. A door opens and she looks up, taking a glimps of the logo on it slowly being split in two revealing the man behind it, her expression becomes unreadable. Archaon: Ah, so you're awake I see. she quickly assumes the fetus possition, grabbing her legs and pushing her head against her knees. The room darkens and the radio stops as a result. The only light in the room is coming from outside. Archaon: his throat. Ahem, I am Doctor Thrax. I'm in charge of your repairs... I mean...I'm your doctor and this is my medical wing. A morgue at one time, they say they stored over 800 bodies here. chuckles. Can you believe that? With that many subjects, I'm a bit like a kid in a candy store. out a flashlight Umm, I confess I would feel somewhat better if you'd turn the lights back on. light spring to life and the radio reactivates as Archaon walks closer to Gwen's bed, setting down on the stool next to it. This time, soft orchestral music is playing. Archaon: Good... on the flashlight. Say "ah...". hesitates. Archaon: what he wants her to do. aaaaaaaaaaahh... the light in his mouth. opens her mouth, but no sound comes forth. Archaon shines his light and looks concerned. Archaon: hmm, just as I thought. off the flashlight. Can you speak? tries, but it hurts. She grabs her throat with her hand. Archaon: hmm, it was simple to regenerate olfactory and auditory senses, but I'm afraid speech... It'll take some time. looks sad at Archaon. Archaon: In the meantime I'll set your auditory senses to broadcast via your omnitool, that should be enough for now. activates his omnitool which activates Gwen's omnitool. She's startled by it. Archaon: Any pain or itching of your skin? shakes her head while looking confused at her omnitool. Archaon: That new skin of yours is... It's one of my innovations, it’s quite resilient by the way. Now that you’re awake, you can give your consent and your Reeducation Program will get underway posthaste. Follow me? omnitool synthesises a voice. It's similar to Archaon's. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. Reeducation program? Archaon: Yes, when we found you, you were near death. You were diagnosed with organ necrosis, we had to put you in stasis till the project was finished. We had to replace everything inside your body… well, with the exception of your brain of course. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. Who killed me? Archaon: Shell Septinos, a rather paranoid Mindoirian. Don’t worry, we'll keep you safe here. He was captured and convicted for his crimes. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. What about the bald guy? Archaon: The what?! Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. The bald guy, the one talking to the white haired guy when I was on the operating table! Archaon: You were conscious for that, were you? Impressive aptitude! The person you’re referring to is Doctor Wilson. He’s the head of the medical division stationed here. looks at the door again. At the logo. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. What is that symbol on the door? Archaon: It’s the Cerberus symbol. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. The pro-human terrorist group? Archaon: Be glad it’s us. Any other organization wouldn’t have helped you the way we did. See, you’re actually one of the first test subjects of mine to actually survive my project. For now, it’s been dubbed the Lazarus Project. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. Lazarus? Archaon: It’s from the bible. The point being, my project uses emergency ordinance that reanimates cells in the body using otherwise prohibited technology, developed during my previous employ with a military space development site. In the alliance, I’d probably be thrown into the nearest cell and charged with crimes of human experimentation. Ahhh, yes. The legal system… Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. So… You went to Cerberus? Archaon: The Illusive Man was the only one who would fund my project. He thought it might come in handy. Imagine, if you will, a galactic war, where no one died… Every lost family member, revived by my invention. There are still some kinks in it thought. We were able to clone soft tissue like you’re organs and skin, but were up till now unable to clone hard tissue, like bones and teeth. For that we had to give you a metallic skeleton to hold your organs in place. The Illusive Man also demanded you’d get an metallic exoskeleton for combat purposes. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. Combat? Archaon: I was forced to give you to ability to… resist. You have implants in your body that when prompted boosts your senses, combined with self-defense programs and the ability to use a gun. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. I don’t want to be a soldier! irritated, Archaon goes to the counter to pick up some medicine. Archaon: ugh, While you were in comatose we were forced to present your subconscious state with all of our technology and plans. And(!) your subconscious accepted it,to Gwen. See… You chose your current situation. puts a cup on Gwen's nightstand. The medicine rattling inside. Gwendolyn: Archaon's voice. What’s that? Archaon: Your medicine. Be sure you take it. Patches of your skin are still unstable and… try not to use a my voice. It’s more than a little disturbing... Gwendolyn: voice. I don’t remember… What my own voice sounds like… Archaon: Don’t worry, your vocal cords are still swollen at the moment. You'll get it back. Why does she have Memories!? HQ Psychiatric wing, Gwen is sitting in front of a scientist, who is showing her a variety of pictures, as she answers. Gwen: "A house... A spaceship... A Quarian..." next picture makes her smile and she lets out an audible chuckle. As if she remembers something from it. Gwen: "Heh... Fruit..." Scientist: "Close, grapes." Gwen: "Grapes..." the wall, to the left of Gwen, is a 2-way mirror. Behind it the Illusive Man is talking to his head scientist. Head Scientist: "It's unprecedented! She's operating at a completely adult capacity." Illusive Man: "What about her memories? Did you do what I asked of you?" Head Scientist: "There are still gaps... Some degree of cognitive dissonance. Although she has connective difficulties. Unable to piece her memories together. When she's reminded of something her brain engages into somekind of emotional autism. Certain reactions might--" Illusive Man doesn't look pleased at this revelation. Illusive Man: "SHE... HAS... MEMORIES!! Why does she have memories!?" Head Scientist: "We don't perceive this to be a threat! you're not thinking termination are you!?" Illusive Man: "No, but she better become her moneys worth." The Omni-blade is the last thing you learn. Omega, Gwen and Archangel are crouched on a high balcony. Archangel pulls a metal briefcase to him and puts in on the ground. He opens it, revealing a disassembled [http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/M-92_Mantis M-92 Mantis. As he takes parts of it and assembles the rifle, Archangel talks to Gwen in a low (almost whispering) voice.] Archangel: "The rifle... Is the first weapon you learn how to use... Because it lets you keep your distance from your opponent..." mounts the scope on it. Archangel: "The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to your target..." attaching the extended barrel. Archangel: "The omni-blade, for example, is the last thing you learn..." Mantis is ready and handed to Gwen. Archangel: "Alright... Position." stand up and walk around the corner, revealing a balcony that overlooks most of Omega. They find a quiet spot and setup. Gwen detaches the lid of the scope, which is quickly reattached by Archangel. Archangel: "No... Never take it off until the last minute. It reflects light. They can see you coming from a mile away... And always dress down, never brighter then your environment." Gwen: "Okay." Archangel: "Alright, let's practice. It's the best way to learn." detaches the lid off the scope once more and starts scanning Omega through it. Archangel in turn pulls out binoculars. Gwen: "Who should I hit?" Archangel: "Whoever." scans the entrance of Afterlife and spots Aria entering. Gwen: "No innocents, right?" Archangel: "No collateral damage, no." keeps looking around and spots Eclipse mercenaries near transports. A Salarian seems to have a heated discussion with a Human local. Gwen: "Salarian Eclipse Leader?" Archangel: his binoculars. "I believe that's Jaroth's brother. Ok." [Archangel leans in closer to Gwen and starts whispering in her ear. Gwen blushes while taking a quick glance at Archangel before she refocusses on her target.] '' '''Archangel': "Keep calm... Don't take your eyes off him... Breathe easy... Watch his movement... Pretend you're standing next to him... Try to feel his next movement... Take a deep breath." takes a deep breath through her nose. Archangel: "Hold it..." holds her breath. The Salarian Eclipse Leader starts moving erratically and pulls out a gun, holding it point blank at the innocent Human local. Archangel: Calm. "Now..." pulls the trigger... Naheed's envy the SSV Aegina's infirmary, Naheed is sitting on the edge of one of the gurney's. Lorelei enters, her expression already gives away that she's come baring bad news. Lorelei: "Naheed, I don't know exactly how to tell you this, but..." lifts his head up slowly, with a sad expression on his face. Lorelei: "I've contacted the hanar and... they don't want to grant you asylum. Cause of what you are and your past, they see you as a weapon of terror. They don't want you on Kahje. Convincing the hanar won't be easy and the other drell think poorly of you." looks down again, disappointed. Naheed: "Can't I stay on this ship?" Lorelei: "I don't think that's a good idea... Most of the crew is terrified of you, like they've always been." voice cracks. Naheed: "I know that..." expression becomes sad. Naheed: "I've always known, but doing nothing at all... will almost certainly bring even greater pain. I know what I must do... I must clear my own path... and perhaps then, that day will come..." looks outside the infirmary window where he sees Gwendolyn and her crew at the dinner table, eating, laughing, telling stories. Naheed watches in envy. His voice becomes heavy under his whimpering to the point where he's almost whispering. Naheed: "The day will come... when I can be like her..." looks outside the window as well. Naheed: "I want to be part of this crew." looks back at Naheed, her expression saddens even more. Naheed: "I will work hard... and connect with the crew of this ship... seeing Gwendolyn Diomedes risk her life has brought me clarity. Until I met her... my ties to others... brought only pain, suffering, grief... sorrow, but she was always pushing me... to redefine those ties. I think I finally no longer feel... the suffering and sadness of life... instead joy... this is a feeling I want to share with those around me." continues to look at the scene of the dinner table, his vision blurry cause of his tears. Lorelei's eyes are tearing up as well. Naheed: "It was Gwendolyn... She's the whole reason my eyes have opened. When we talked, we connected... She's known the same pain I have and she taught me... that I can change the path my life will follow... One day, Dr. Mobious... I'd like to become precious to others too... not just to be viewed as some hideous weapon..." looks at Lorelei, a tear is running across his cheek. He also had an accident the Citadel, a turian is walking down the apartment aisles, eventually stopping at room 2-28, Gwen’s apartment. Holding flowers in his hands, he sighs into them before ringing the bell. Gwen: “The door’s open.” says it with such confidence that it sounds as if she was expecting him. He pushes a button that opens the door. Nervously he enters, not exactly knowing where to go. Gwen shouts from where appears to be the bathroom. '' '''Gwen':' '“I’ll be right out, just finishing up. I didn’t expect you to be here so early.” this the same person I go into battle with?” the turian wondered. “she sounds so… relaxed.” '' ' Gwen': “take a seat, I’ll be right out.” ''turian nervously finds a spot on Gwen’s couch to sit on. Just as he get’s seated and starts fidgeting with the flowers, the bathroom door opens, revealing Gwen in a pink straight gown. She also wears turian-style facepaint, something she hasn’t worn since leaving Omega. Gwen: “Kayris-“ [- She smiled. Kayris looks up in Gwen’s direction. He is awe-struck, never has he seen Gwen, let alone any commanding officer, in a dress. Gwen walks towards the low table in front of the couch, with each step adding to her nervousness. She stops halfway in an effort to calm her senses and asks.] Gwen: “You like it?” looks at her from head to toe. '' ''' '''Kayris: “uhm… yeah…” hears the anxiety in Kayris’s voice and takes a more commanding presence in an attempt to calm him. Gwen: “Then say it.” Kayris: “I like it.” though she showed off her commanding presence in an attempt to calm Kayris, by the time she reaches the low table, she’s more nervous than Kayris is. She pours him a glass of turian brandy and, with a smile, awkwardly stretches her arm out to him, prompting him to take it. He hesitates. Gwen: “Not thirsty? Don’t worry, it’s turian.” takes the glass and, while looking at the ceiling , drinks half its content in a feigned attempt to calm his nerves. Gwen takes her seat next to him and silently tries to move closer, slipping her hand in his. Kayris objects. Kayris: “Major, no.” Gwen: “We’re on leave, I’m not you major today.” tries again and again Kayris object, this time shaking his head. Kayris: “No, please.” Gwen: “Why not?” Kayris: “I just can’t.” sits further away. Gwen: “Because I’m human?” Kayris: “No! I mean…” voice begins to crack, suggesting he’s on the verge of tears. Kayris: “There was someone a long time ago. Before I was shipped offworld. Off Palavan. “ sits closer, placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. This is the side of Kayris Gwen never saw before. Kayris always had an ice-cold detached demeanor. Kayris: “Her father… didn’t want her to see me. She was from a very respectable family. Mine was…” eyes tear up. Kayris: “you know… not so respectable. Her dad went nuts every time she’d take off to see me.” Gwen: “But she still snuck off to see you, right?” Kayris: “… right.” Gwen: “See, nothing can stop love, Kayris.” Kayris: “He killed her! One shot through the head.” mouth drops. At first not believing what she heard. The sight of her mouth dropping is soon replaced by that of sadness. Kayris: “They kept him in jail for two days and then they let him free… Convinced everyone it was an accident… “ starts shedding tears of her own. ''Kayris: “So… One night I… waited for him. Five hundred feet with a lens. He also had an accident.”'' says it in such a tone that Gwen doesn’t need to think what the ‘accident’ was. Kayris: “The same night I… took my bags and was shipped offworld… I met up with my father, who was an engineer on a ship… I was 19. Since then I’ve never returned to Palavan and… I’ve never had another girlfriend.” of Gwen’s tears drops, leaving a stain on her gown. Kayris: “You see, major… I wouldn’t be a good lover.” Gwen: defeated. “okay… Would you do me one favor?” wipes the tears from his eyes. Kayris: “What?” Gwen: “I’m sick of watching you sleep on your chair. I’m sick of watching you sleep in front of your guns. I want you to share my bed with me tonight.” tries to leave. Kayris: “I don’t think that’s a good idea…” still sitting on her couch, grabs Kayris’ arm. Her commanding presence resurges. Gwen: “That’s an order!" Biotic Love Archaon's sleeping quarters on board The Aegina, Archaon is sitting on his bed in the lotus position. His hands open in front of him, angled toward eachother, as it projects a biotic sphere that constantly changes shape; From an orb to a cube, to a triangle, ect. enters his quarters, but she is neither a guest nor trespasser. This place where Archaon belongs, it belongs also to her. Lorelei walks to the bathroom, takes off her medical suit and slips into something more easy to wear. Judging by both Lorelei's and Archaon's attire it's nighttime. Although in space you can't see the difference. exits the bathroom Archaon: "Honey, come here. I want to show you something." Lorelei: "What is it?" Archaon: "I've been practicing my biotic arts and wanted to show you something." moves closer to Lorelei, rubbing his side against hers, moving his hand over her back onto the side of her hip. Archaon: "Give me your hand." smiles, shrugs and put up her hand. Thinking that Archaon would take her hand. Instead he uses his biotic powers and, slowly, it envelops her hand. Out of fright, she yanks her hand away and gasps. Looking confused at Archaon. ' Archaon': "Don't worry, residual biotic radiation. Completely harmless." hesitantly places her hand back where it was and Archaon tries again. Again the biotic radiation envelops Lorelei's hand, moving through her wrist and takes up half her arm. The feeling makes Lorelei smile. Lorelei: "It's... warm." tiny biotic sphere, similar to a singularity, is created between their hands, slowly growing. Once big enough, Archaon gives it a distinctive shape; A small biotic heart. Extra Cushioning the SSV Aegina's captain's cabin, Gwen and Kayris are laying in bed with the sheets covering them. Kayris' trying to make small talk. Kayris: "So... uhm, I've noticed something lately." Gwen: Playfully. "Oh really?" Kayris: "Well... I've searched the extranet and... it looks like human females have extra cushioning." grabs Gwen's behind. Kayris: "Here..." his other free hand he grabs a breast. Kayris: "And here..." smile a little awkwardly at Kayris. Kayris: "So... Uhm, do human females fall a lot more then their male counterpart or something?" giggles uncontrollably. One night with the major the SSV Aegina's captain's cabin, Gwen and Kayris are sleeping in each other's arms. Gwen's eyes are moving behind her eyelids, she's dreaming. Her eyes suddenly open as she moves her head deeper into her pillow. After beating a few eyelashes, she looks next to her and sees Kayris still sleeping. to get back to sleep, Gwen pulls off her sheets revealing her white tank top and undies. She gets out of bed and walks to her desk, where she takes out an "artline" marker. As she walks back to bed, she takes the top of the marker off. She positions herself on top of Kayris -- who is still sleeping -- and starts drawing doodles on his face. Smooth Talker one of the SSV Aegina's corridors, Gwen and Kayris are walking in the same direction side by side, holding hands, Gwen's head on Kayris' shoulder, sharing a romantic moment together. Kayris: "Hey, uh, sweetheart. You know how I don't always say the right thing during our... uhm... intimate moments." responds with a chuckled voice. Gwen: "I don't mind, really. It's funny seeing you try to fish for words." Kayris: "Well... uhm, I think I've finally found the perfect one!" lifts her head from Kayris' shoulder and turns her head to face him. Gwen: "Alright... Lay it on me, smooth talker." clears his throat. Kayris: *Ahum* "Uhm, your...uhm... At a certain angle, your butt looks like an apple and I just want to bite it." bursts into laughter. Gwen: "PFFFFF-AHAHAHAHAHA..." Kayris: "Damnit, that's the last time I ever listen to anyone on the extranet." comforts Kayris. Placing her free hand on his chest, her face still bowed down to hide her smile to him. Gwen: "It's ok, sweety. I still love you." Category:Short Stories Category:Articles by Cookiegobbler